Year 9 French
Brief summary of the syllabus:
In Year 9 there is great emphasis on achieving the highest possible Key State 3 level for each boy.
The pathways to achieve this are:
- to cover the Expo rouge 3 textbook topics,
- to develop the grammatical awareness in order to learn to write independently in French,
- to consolidate the oral proficiency through practising extended dialogues,
- to use more complex authentic materials for listening and reading.
What skills/attributes are being developed and examined?
A. Communicating in French:
- To discuss their own ideas, interests and experiences and compare them with those of others.
- To listen, read or view for personal interest and enjoyment, as well as for information.
- To listen and respond to different types of spoken language.
- To read handwritten and printed texts of different types and of varying lengths and, where appropriate, read aloud.
- To produce a variety of types of writing.
- To use a range of resources for communicating, eg telephone, e-mail, fax, letters.
B. Language skills:
- To ask about meanings, seek clarification or repetition.
- To ask and answer questions, and give instructions.
- To ask for and give information and explanations.
- To initiate and develop conversations.
- To express agreement, disagreement, personal feelings and opinions.
- To describe and discuss present, past and future events.
- To skim and scan texts, incl. databases where appropriate, for information.
- To summarise and report the main points of spoken or written texts.
- To redraft writing to improve its accuracy and presentation, eg by word-processing.
- To vary language to suit context, audience and purpose.
C. Language-learning skills and knowledge of language:
- To develop the independence in language-learning and use.
- To use dictionaries and reference materials.
- To use context and other clues to interpret meaning.
- To understand patterns, rules and exceptions in language forms and structures.
- To use knowledge to experiment with language.
- To understand and use formal and informal language.
- To develop strategies for dealing with the unpredictable.
D. Cultural awareness:
- To work with authentic materials, incl. newspapers, magazines, books, films, radio and television, from French-speaking countries and communities.
- To come into contact with native speakers in this country and, where possible, abroad.
- To consider their own culture and compare it with the cultures of the countries and communities where French is spoken.
- To identify with the experiences and perspectives of people in these countries and communities.
- To recognise cultural attitudes as expressed in language and learn the use for social conventions, eg forms of address.
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What can parents expect to see in class work and homework specifically?
There should be evidence of listening exercises and grammar work. Homework will usually alternate between a learning and a written homework. At times there will be preparation for an oral presentation on a set topic to the rest of the class.
What parents can do to help in this subject at this stage?
- Check that the organiser contains two pieces of homework - one learning, one written - per week.
- Check presentation of work in exercise books. Insistence on neatness is paramount.
- Help your son to learn vocabulary, even if you don't know French. His vocabulary book will contain the necessary material with which you can test him from English into French. Subsequently he can check his own responses.
- Encourage your son to use French CD-ROMs, of which there are many. The Department is always happy to assist in choosing the appropriate level.
- Encourage your son to access a language-learning website such as www.languagesonline.org.uk as it has many links to different topic areas.
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Setting and course schedule:
In Year 9 boys are setted according to their accumulative test scores in Year 8.
- Autumn first half-term: Unit 1
- Autumn second half-term: Unit 2
- Spring first half-term: Unit 3
- Spring second half-term: Unit 4
- Summer first half-term: Unit 5
- Summer second half-term: Unit 6
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Tests:
Boys are tested each half-term on the course content covered so far. The final examination constitutes the Key Stage 3 examination, which will include themes and grammar covered since Year 7.
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Pupil target setting:
All boys are expected to achieve level 5-6, but boys are given the opportunity throughout the year to rise above this level in all four skills, as per level descriptions.
| | Level 6 | Level 7 |
| Listening | You can understand short stories and dialogues about a variety of topics. You can note down specific detail, incl. points of view. French is spoken at normal speed and you don't need much repetition. | You can understand items from radio or television concerning new topics even if you make some mistakes. You don't need to hear the tape often even though the sentences are quite long. |
| Speaking | You can adapt the language you learn from different topics. You can talk about the past, present and future. | You can give opinions in French on topics and personal issues. You can adapt language to deal with new information. Your pronunciation sounds very French and your grammar is quite accurate. |
| Reading | You can read and understand different styles of writing and choose to read either books or magazines for your own pleasure. You can work out the meanings of words you don't know by looking at the context. | You can read and understand quite difficult texts, both fact and fiction. You can use the new words you find in both speaking and writing. |
| Writing | You can write in formal and informal French in the past, present and future eg booking accommodation, writing a diary. Most of it is correct. | You can write about real or made-up events. Your ideas link together well. When you redraft your work, using a dictionary where necessary, you achieve greater accuracy. |
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Opting for GCSE French:
During the Spring Term of Year 9 all boys have to choose their options for GCSE. The French Department welcomes all boys who are keen to carry on with French. An increasing number are choosing to keep up both languages, but if a boy is in set three of three in both languages, it is unlikely to be advisable to take such a step. He should certainly seek advice and consult his French teacher.
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